I have some tips that might help you figure out who should fix your computer.
- Ask your IT department at work (or have your spouse ask theirs.) The way the industry works, odds are very good that your IT support people do side work. We are ALWAYS networking for jobs and very often we do this through side work. I personally have occasionally done side work for free if the person I am helping will pass my resume onto someone they have a personal connection to. If your IT department doesn't do side work they most likely can recommend someone personally. This of course only applies if you like your tech support people - there are some really bad ones out there so be careful (but you definitely know if you like them or not, trust your instincts.)
- Ask your friends and coworkers. The most important thing is to make a personal connection. Chances are very good that someone you know has employed someone to fix their computer at home.
- Choose someone you trust! You have A LOT of private information on your computer. If a criminal can get their hands on your computer they can gain access very easily (in most cases) to your personal email, bank accounts and whatever else you have on there. You also have to make sure they aren't going to get you in trouble with putting pirated software on your computer or getting you in trouble for having mp3's on your computer (even if you legally own them they could cause problems for you.)
- Never trust someone that says they are an expert! This is a very important one. If someone tells you this, they are most likely more of a salesman than tech help. Good computer support should be humble. They will tell you that they have some experience with the problem but all of the good ones will also tell you that using computers is more of a constantly evolving process rather than something you learn for a while then label yourself an expert. By the way, this holds true for you hiring managers out there as well!!! It's not like spelling, where it is either right or wrong and there is one way to do it. There are a few more layers to this and you want someone that has a broad knowledge base and is creative enough to find a solution for you.
- Don't age discriminate. Even though I personally don't fit into the 'young' category anymore, I work in the public school system and I can tell you that there are some very trustworthy and talented high school (and even middle school) students out there that would love to help you out. You might even get creative with your payment options because depending on where you live, these kids might need community service hours to clear their graduation requirements.
- Consider getting a new computer. These days it, in my opinion, it is actually usually better to just bite the bullet and buy a new computer. Work the numbers here. It is going to cost you a sizeable portion of a new computer for you to fix your old one. Every day technology gets faster and prices come down. It may seem difficult to get used to a new system but with current technology it really is pretty easy to move into a new system. Check out the outrageous deals at DELL, you might be surprised how far your dollar can go. Obviously this isn't always the way to go because you may have special programs installed or specific older hardware you want to keep using.
- What about the geek squad? This is a tough one and a total roll of the dice. To be honest, I have heard some bad things and I've heard some good things. I would recommend that if you do use the geek squad, don't be the first one on your block to do so. Refer to point 2. I would only use them if a personal friend or coworker has had previous dealings with a particular 'geek'. Get a name and request that person specifically.
- If you're feeling brave try it yourself. This is the best person to trust. Some people are really reluctant to try to fix their own computer. But usually these people that realize they can destroy their computer do actually have the sense it takes to try and fix it yourself. Respect the fear and know when to stop, but if you can get to google, you might as well give it a shot. Just type in that error message (or problem description) and see what comes up. The fix might be easy. If you do this, make sure to include things like your version of windows (98, xp, etc) and the program you are using. Searching for tech help is an art form and takes a while to get a hang of. You might also try going to a system restore point (Windows XP only). If things are really messed up, doing this won't lose your data, but you might need to reinstall some programs after. To try this, click on 'start', 'programs', 'accessories', 'system tools', 'system restore'. Follow the wizard from there to hopefully go back to a happier time in your computer's life where everything worked.
